l Contact your local officers to arrange dot peen property marking free of charge. If items are lost or stolen, this helps the police identify its rightful owner and provide evidence vital in securing prosecutions

l You can also photograph your property and register it free of charge at www.immobilise.com

l Always report suspicious activity to the police by calling 101 for non-emergencies

l In an emergency or if a crime is in progress, always dial 999

l If you would prefer to remain anonymous, you can still pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

I realise this is a scary subject and will leave some people, especially those who are elderly and vulnerable, feeling frightened. Believe me, this is the last thing I want to do.

However, it would be wrong to bury our heads in the sand and naively hope that nothing will happen. None of us can afford such complacency.

I will be satisfied if even just a handful of you good folk take decisive action to secure your home and property after reading this column.

You will be taking a positive step in keeping criminals at bay.

The more people who take on board the crime prevention advice, alongside our ongoing proactive policing operations to catch and disrupt offenders in our area, the safer we will become and the safer we will actually feel in our own homes.”

For more information about home security and property marking, visit www.northyorkshire.police.uk/homesecurity or contact your local Neighbourhood Policing Team on 101.

You can also download the North Yorkshire Police interactive home security iBook, available for free on iPhone and iPad – just search for “Securing your home” on iTunes.

If you haven’t got access to the internet, ask a family member or a friend to assist.